I made my very FIRST EVER NAKED jump on August 18th, 2013. It was my 189th jump to date at the Skydive! Toledo drop zone at the Winlock Airport near Toledo, Washington. There was another jumper there, Eric the Red (he has red hair, red car among other things red) whose birthday was that day. He's been jumping nude on his birthday for the last 10 years. The manifestress wanted to know if I'd jump in my birthday suit for that load. And I had to think about it because I had never thought about doing a naked jump. After some thought, I said OK put my name down. She looked surprised. I joined Eric the Red and Russ, who's a tandem instructor, for his first naked jump also. The only really cool time was standing on the wheel cover doing the count because we had also planned to fly a 3 way pin. It was a fairly warm day with temperatures in the 80's so the flight under canopy was very pleasant. I thought doing a naked jump would "get it out of my" system. But I enjoyed it so much that I'll probably sign up for the next one for whatever reason. Maybe my 200th jump? The pilot ever so modestly declined to get naked also. Isn't everyone on a naked load supposed to get naked, including the flight crew? It was ever so much fun.

Doing this sponsored skydive with the extra challenge of doing it NAKED started as a joke. But it was for such a good cause, and I realised that the extra challenge would more than likely increase the amount raised substantially, so I decided to go for it! My first skydive was a charity tandem at Swansea (UK) on 16 August 2014, when I raised 2,080 GBP (~3,200 USD). Afterwards I found that if I jumped again within 12 months it would be cheaper, so I decided to do another tandem in July 2015. But would it now be ?just another skydive? and so not raise as much this time? Conversations led to 2 suggestions for an additional challenge: 1) No parachute. Despite very generous offers of sponsorship, I declined that one! 2) Naked. Having declined (1), then (2) it was. I put out some enquiries as to where I might be able to take up this challenge, and Redlands Airport, Swindon (UK) happily agreed. So, on 11 July 2015 at Swindon I did a naked tandem skydive. The extra challenge of doing it naked had the intended result. There was a fair amount of publicity in the press, printed, and on line (never expected to get so many pages of results when searching ?Howard Smith Naked Skydive?), and even a radio competition to come up with a novel headline for the story! By the day of the skydive I had raised over 5,500 GBP (~8,500 USD). This will go to help with the running costs of a motorbike ambulance service in the Mbale region of Uganda, which is being set up via a charity (PONT) that I volunteer with. Before this there was no ambulance service at all. I just couldn?t leave people to get miles to hospital in an emergency on a bicycle, or be carried by friends (see www.pont-mbale.org.uk). On the day of the dive the weather was quite warm, though a bit windy, but still OK. I arrived at the airport as was greeted at each stage by the staff with ?ah ? you?re the one doing it naked?. I was on the last drop of the day, so anyone not wanting to witness my skydive could leave if they wanted to. I stripped off to just my shorts and trainers, and they initially fitted the harness over my shorts. I then went to the toilets took of my shorts, refitted the harness, and put my shorts back on over the top (there were still quite a few people around). I went in the plane with one other tandem ? an experienced guy, taking his girlfriend for her first tandem. There was discussion about whether the talk in the pub would now be about her first dive ? or that someone on the same dive had done theirs naked! At 9,000ft my shorts were removed, and the harness was properly set ready for the jump from 10,000ft. The door was opened, and I felt a strong draught of cold air in a very unusual place. The other tandem pair went out first, with their videographer, then my videographer went out to wait for us. We shuffled forward and I dangled my legs, and other bits over the edge. Definitely chilly, but not as bad as I had feared. Then it was head and legs back, and my tandem pushed me out. Amazing and weird feeling. After a while of freefall, we were under canopy and falling gently, looking at the scenery. The view down was distinctly odd ? legs and other bits dangling in the foreground with Swindon town and surrounding countryside in the background. There was a moderate wind and we landed off target, though not too bad ? the far end of the field instead of the near end. I decided to walk back to the buildings as I was, carrying my shorts and helmet in my hand. I arrived back to loud cheers and clapping. An exhilarating experience. Maybe I'll do it again someday.

My first naked jump would have been about 1982 into a nudist camp near Decatur Texas. I've made 2 totally nude jumps since, one while serving as tandem master. I stopped jumping about 15 years ago but recently ordered a new rig and am now current with about 20 jumps. I'm now age 54 but plan to make more naked jumps. I also served as pilot on several naked jumps.

Made a nekked jump in the early 80's at South Florida Parachute. Loaded up in the plane with clothes on and taxied down to the end of the runway, where we all wrestled our way out of our suits. Left the suits in a pile in the bushes. Naturally, they were gone when we landed. Had to promise the DZ a case of beer to get our clothes back.

I have 19 logged nekkid skydives, the first being July 10th, 2002 at the now closed Skydive Ranch in Beiseker AB. Canada. The last was a four way at 8AM, October 4th, also in snowy Canada. I would be more than happy to sport your helmet stickers, not always easy to make these jumps happen.

Twas not the greatest conditions for a SANS jump - 47 degrees out with a low ceiling around 6,000 feet and a slight drizzle. But it was the final day this season that was available to me. Having discussed the idea with a licensed SANS member, we decided that it would be a great idea to inaugurate me into the world of SANS jumping. We convinced another couple guys to fill the load, both of whom had already made a prior SANS jump. At 5,500 feet we each left the C-182 one after another for a quick Hop'n'Pop, only naked. Everyone landed in (which cannot be said of another SANS jump that I know of), and was able to get their clothing back on without incident. It is highly recommended to not jump SANS during anything more than a light drizzle as it does sting enormously.

September 2014 It was my 100th jump, Kathy (pretty sure that was her name) gave me my briefing at Vegas extreme. She was totally game when I mentioned a naked jump. I did my 99th in her rig. Then I stripped down, rigged up, pulled a pair of boxers over my harness, and ran onto the next load where my work friend was doing her first tandem. At altitude the pilot called 21 mph winds. I was told not to jump. So naturally I went anyway haha. Who was going to stop the last guy from leaving?! I remember Kevin Potts saying, ?You?re going to jump anyway, uh?? ? Me, "Yup!" -- Him, "I'd do the same." LOL